Woman in Her 30s Arrested for Plotting New York State Capitol Bombing After Swearing Allegiance to ISIS

A woman in her 30s has been arrested by U.S. federal authorities for swearing allegiance to the extremist terrorist group ISIS and plotting to blow up the New York State Capitol.

According to U.S. outlets including The New York Times (NYT) on August 20 (local time), federal prosecutors have charged 35-year-old Jessica Bowie with attempting to provide material support and resources to a foreign terrorist organization designated by the United States.

Investigators found that Bowie, a resident of Albany, New York, secured materials needed to manufacture explosives and sought to attack the New York State Capitol to kill state senators in order to support ISIS from July 16 to August 19.

It was revealed that she discussed the Capitol attack plan after coming into contact with Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) confidential informants posing as ISIS sympathizers.

The FBI had identified Bowie as a potential threat through messages supporting the 9/11 attacks that she posted on social media, and had conducted an undercover operation.

Bowie told the FBI informants that she had been seriously considering a Capitol attack for the past four to six months.

She also scouted the Capitol building at least five times since mid-last month, photographing the building and surrounding facilities and sending those pictures to the informants.

She told the informants, "I want to destroy the building as much as possible and kill lawmakers in session," and "I want to do it in a way that I can escape on a plane after the crime."

On August 5, she met with the FBI informants to discuss the bomb attack plan once more.

The informants explained the supplies needed to make a bomb and handed over 200 dollars, and Bowie purchased a container filled with nails and other items at a nearby Home Depot that same day.

She subsequently asked the informants to acquire a concealable firearm that she could use if police approached.

After meeting with informants in a car on August 19 and receiving instructions on bomb manufacturing and detonation methods, she was arrested by waiting FBI agents as she got out of the vehicle.

The FBI determined that Bowie left an audio message pledging allegiance to ISIS and also wrote a handwritten manifesto.

However, it has not been confirmed whether she ever had direct contact with actual ISIS members.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul issued a statement saying there is no immediate threat at this time and that security has been stepped up at the Capitol and other government buildings.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.